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How to Fix Smart Slider 3 Dynamic Slides Not Showing New Posts or Images

27 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Smart slider 3

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If you're using Smart Slider 3's dynamic slides to automatically display content from your WordPress posts, you might encounter a situation where new posts, categories, or images don't appear right away. This is a common point of confusion, but it's usually related to how the plugin manages its data cache.

Why This Happens

Smart Slider 3 uses a caching system for its dynamic slide generators. This means the slider doesn't query your database for new information every single time a page loads. Instead, it saves the data it finds and uses that saved version for a set period. This process improves performance and reduces server load. The trade-off is that new content won't be immediately visible in the slider until this cache is refreshed.

Common Solutions

1. Wait for the Cache to Expire

The most straightforward solution is to wait. Each generator has a "Cache expiration" setting that determines how long it uses the saved data before checking for new content. You can find and adjust this setting within the generator's configuration options. After the specified time passes, the cache will clear itself, and the slider will display any new posts or images.

2. Manually Clear the Generator Cache

If you need new content to appear immediately, you can manually clear the cache. Navigate to your slider's edit page, find the dynamic slide generator, and look for an option to clear or refresh its cache. This forces the plugin to immediately fetch the latest data from your WordPress database.

3. Check for Third-Party Caching

The issue might not be with Smart Slider's cache but with another caching layer on your site. If you use a separate page caching plugin or a server-level cache (like Varnish or a CDN), that system might be serving an old, stored version of the entire page. Even if Smart Slider's cache is cleared, the page cache must also be cleared for the changes to become visible to your visitors. Clear your page cache and any object cache (e.g., Redis) after updating your slider.

4. Verify the Free Version's Limitations

It's important to note that the free version of Smart Slider 3 only supports dynamic slides from default WordPress posts. If you are trying to display slides from a custom post type (e.g., Testimonials, Team Members, Hotels) or use advanced filtering based on ACF custom fields, this functionality is not available in the free version. In these cases, the slider may not display content as expected because it cannot access that data source.

Best Practices

  • Plan Your Cache Time: Set a cache expiration time that balances performance with how often you add new content.
  • Clear Caches in Order: After adding important new content, clear the Smart Slider generator cache first, then clear your site's page cache.
  • Confirm Data Source: Ensure the content you want to display (e.g., custom post types) is supported by your version of the plugin.

By understanding how the cache works and following these steps, you can effectively manage your dynamic sliders and ensure they display your latest content correctly.

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